Ontario to fill vacant Niagara Region chair instead of holding vote

The provincial government says it plans to appoint the chair of the Niagara region a year ahead of the election.

It comes after the position became vacant when longtime chair Jim Bradley passed away last month.

Rob Flack, the Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, sent a letter to the region informing them of the decision on Oct. 17.

There is some criticism of the decision, with one MPP saying Niagara councillors should be the ones to choose.

“Bradley was a great chair, a great MPP, a great minister, and we’re going to follow in that tradition in this province — we’re going to appoint a new chair in the Niagara Region,” said Flack.

During a news conference at Queen’s Park Thursday, the minister answered questions about the Ford government’s decision to appoint Jim Bradley’s replacement instead of holding a vote.

Bradley died on Sept. 26, at the age of 80, leaving the position vacant.

“We communicate regularly with all the mayors and any councillors,” said Flack. “I’m taking their advice, I’m listening and learning, and taking their council and in due time we will choose the proper and best person available to chair the Niagara Region.”

Jim Diodati, the Mayor of Niagara Falls, is behind the decision.

“Last time it was the provincial government who appointed our regional chair, and at that time they appointed Jim Bradley, and I think everyone was quite pleased with that appointment,” said Diodati. “He did an outstanding job, and I’ve got faith in the province doing the same thing this time to finish out the term.”

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The next regional chair is scheduled to be selected by council on Nov. 26 of next year.

Until then, Wayne Gates, the NDP MPP for Niagara Falls, says he wants the current council, not the province, to select who will sit as chair until then.

“Any kind of appointment should be done with local politicians, with our local communities — our community doesn’t want it coming from Toronto,” said Gates.

“Jim Bradley was appointed, but he was probably going to win that election anyways among his co-workers, so anything that they do should involve the elected politicians. Niagara should elect Niagara, it shouldn’t come from Queen’s Park.”

However, Flack insists that the government’s decision is not over-reaching.

“I do not think I’m ignoring local decision making when I’m listening to the mayors and the councillors, they represent the local community,” said Flack.

Since Bradley’s death, the council has been rotating councillors to serve as interim chair on a monthly basis.

There is a council meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, which has the letter from the minister on the agenda.

WATCH MORE: Niagara Region mourns passing of Chair Jim Bradley at 80